GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The three-year contract defensive end Julius Peppers signed with the Green Bay Packers on Saturday could be worth up to $26 million, but also gives the team flexibility if they only want him for one season.

The 34-year-old Peppers received a $7.5 million signing bonus -- the only guaranteed money in the deal -- and will receive a base salary of $1 million this season. The first year of the deal contains no other bonuses. That makes his salary-cap charge for 2014 a reasonable $3.5 million.

Those cap numbers increase to $12 million in 2015 and $10.5 million in 2016. But if the Packers decide to release him before next season, they would be hit with only a $5 million cap charge (the acceleration of the remaining portion of his signing bonus) and the rest of his numbers would be wiped off their books.

Here's a year-by-year breakdown of the deal based on information from ESPN Stats & Information:

2014

• Cash value: $8.5 million

• Salary-cap charge: $3.5 million

• Signing bonus: $7 million

• Base salary: $1 million

2015

• Cash value: $9.5 million

• Salary-cap charge: $12 million

• Base salary: $8.5 million

• Roster bonus: Up to $500,000 ($31,250 per game active)

• Workout bonus: $500,000

2016

• Cash value: $8 million

• Salary-cap charge: $10.5 million

• Base salary: $7 million

• Roster bonus: Up to $500,000 ($31,250 per game active)

• Workout bonus: $500,000